


something like hope

by mearcats



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, F/M, Fluff, Romance, smut glitter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 13:06:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,231
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9441917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mearcats/pseuds/mearcats
Summary: It's so far from love at first sight that it's laughable, but over the years, Will Scarlet grows on Belle.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [lenfaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/lenfaz/gifts).



Okay, here’s the thing–Belle French isn’t entirely sure how she came to be making out with Will Scarlet on Valentine’s Day, because it sure as shit isn’t something she planned.

&&&

_Four years ago_

“Belle, I think I’ve met the perfect woman,” Killian says.

She smirks at her brother. “Haven’t you said that about at least three women you’ve taken home from the bar over the last year since Milah…?”

“Fuck you, this is different. I’d have thought my own sister would be more supportive.”

“Come now, Killy.”

“Not the nickname, for the love. I will dunk you into the harbor if I must. Pass me the syrup, please.”

Handing him the syrup, she looks over and sees how serious he is, in spite of the joking words. “Oh. Well, tell me about her.”

“Her name is Emma Swan, and yes, we did meet last night at the bar. But…” Killian prattles on, his enthusiasm making her think maybe he’s right about this one.

-

Killian is right, it turns out. Emma is nothing like Belle would have imagined for her friend, but they just work somehow.

They’ve been together two months when Killian drags Belle along to a party at Emma’s. It’s a way for their friend groups to meet, for them to emerge from their couply bubble and begin to interact with all their loved ones again.

It’s not that Belle doesn’t want to go, it’s just that she’s in the middle of a really good book.

Killian tells her she has to go though. “When is the last time you interacted with people who weren’t me or Merida?”

She looks at him blankly and shrugs. “But I have you two, I don’t need loads more people. And we had brunch with Emma just a few days ago.”

“That doesn’t count and you know it.”

“And why not?!”

“Because you wouldn’t have seen her or had brunch with her were I not, and I quote, ‘unable to be parted from the general vicinity of her v–’”

“I remember what I said,” she replies quickly, cutting him off before he can remind her of what she’d said in a particularly crass, drunken moment the previous week.

“Then you know my point remains.”

She scoffs.

“It’s just…you haven’t gotten out much since things ended with Gold, love. I worry.”

“Are you trying to say you liked things better then?!”

“Don’t be obtuse, you know I’m not. I just don’t want you to isolate yourself, especially when I’m not around as much as I was.”

“That sounds like it’s your problem.”

“Which is why I’m taking you with me to this party.”

“ _Fine_. Fine,” she finally says.

-

It’s a nice party, and Belle is actually enjoying herself. Emma’s friends are all pretty cool people, from the kindhearted and lovey-dovey couple to her loud and strikingly gorgeous friend Ruby. (She tells herself not embarrass herself around the woman, but she’s drinking and can’t make any promises.)

All of them except for Will fucking Scarlet.

The man is obnoxious, to say the least. He’s loud, he’s uncouth, and she’s fairly sure he’s found himself on the wrong side of the law at least a couple times. (And she has no idea how that works, given that Emma is in bail bonds and David seems to be in law enforcement.)

But apparently he’s like a brother to Emma, the two having met in college and having been inseparable since, so she just grits her teeth and tries to bear it when he stares and makes an ass of himself with his _idiotic_ words.

&&&

_Present_

He just feels so good against her, his lips trailing down her neck to suck a mark into her collarbone. On one hand, this is probably a bad idea. On the other, she can’t believe it’s taken her this long to do this.

&&&

_3 years ago_

Killian is moving out. He’s actually leaving.

Belle knows she shouldn’t be so surprised. After all, he and Emma have been together a little over a year at this point. They’re stupidly in love. It makes sense. And a part of her is really, really happy for them.

But it’s annoying, it’s inconvenient, and it hurts a little bit.

She’s apprehensive–she hasn’t lived on her own in five years, and she’s not really sure how to go about it anymore.

But going to the housewarming party at Emma’s and Killian’s new house is probably a good start.

-

The downside to this plan is that it comes with Will Scarlet. Over the last year, she’s seen him enough to know she doesn’t much like him. He’s rude, chaotic, and he drinks too much.

The icing on the cake had been when he broke into the library a few months before. She’d been shocked the next morning when she’d arrived at work to find him curled up on the ground, his empty bottle and a copy of _Alice in Wonderland_ tucked in his arms.

(He hadn’t been thrilled to wake up to Belle hitting him repeatedly with a broom, either. Or with her call to Emma.)

So she’s less than thrilled when he opens the door to her. He just rolls his eyes and moves aside for her to come in, and she stomps past as quickly as possible.

She feels a little more kindly toward him a few hours later when their friends and families are celebrating, the two of them left behind by Emma’s and Killian’s burgeoning relationship. He’s out a roommate now too, and she knows how that feels.

While everyone else toasts, they meet eyes and nod at each other in a moment of understanding and kinship. Then they begrudgingly raise their glasses as well.

&&&

_Present_

She pulls him into her bedroom by his jacket. The jacket should probably go, actually. Maybe they shouldn’t be doing this, maybe she hasn’t planned it, but it’s probably not the worst idea she’s ever had.

No, that honor belongs to the day she finally decided Will isn’t so bad.

The day she got drunk and threw up in front of everyone she knew at Emma’s and her brother’s engagement party.

&&&

_1.5 years ago_

Living by herself works much better than she had thought it would, most of the time.

This is not one of those times.

For starters, there’s no one to remind her that this is an engagement, and even with their more casual crowd, it’s not the sort of event one pregames for. Then there’s the whole thing where she’s ashamed that she’s actually jealous that Killian and Emma have found each other.

Normally, it’s fine. Belle adores Emma, and they’ve gotten really close over the last two and a half years. Honestly, if she needs something or has an emergency, she’s probably a little more likely to call her than Killian. (She’s generally just a little cooler under pressure…unless it comes to emotions, romance, proposals–that’s where Killian shines.)

But she’s lonely. She’s tried the online dating thing, and that one guy, Gaston or Keith or whatever he had called himself–is more than enough to sour her on the experience.  Seriously, did she have to end up unintentionally going out with one of Emma’s bail skips?!

She has her fingers crossed that maybe Ruby will finally give her the time of day, though–oh, wait, no, she’s here with another someone. Blast. So Belle downs another glass of champagne.

Fast forward to a couple hours later–dinner is over, numerous toasts have been made to the happy couple and their love. She gets up to make her speech, teetering on her heels as she makes her way to the stage.

She faces the crowd, their faces swimming before her. Standing in front of the microphone, she says, “Thank you all for being here tonight! It’s been a fantastic night, and I’m just so happy for my brother and his new fiancee. I know–”

She cuts off, because that’s when it happens. She hurries to face away from the crowd as the drinking she’s been doing overwhelms her…and she vomits on the stage.

Everyone is looking at her, and she tamps down on the rising panic and tears. Killian looks alarmed and a little horrified, while Emma looks more amused, if a little concerned. Ruby and her date have that same concern, and Mary Margaret is already running to get things to help clean up.

Then she sees Will. The only thing in his face is compassion and kinship, and then he’s right next to her at the stage, wrapping an arm around her waist.

“Well, folks, there’s definitely just been an, uh, overflowing of joy for Emma and Killian, so let’s give them a round of applause,” Will says quickly, hauling her off the stage.

Once they’re in a private corridor, he asks her how she is, and pushes her hair out of her face. “Can I see you home, luv? I’ve been where you are, and I hate being alone when I’m ill.”

Belle just nods, a sob escaping her throat.

&&&

_Present_

She’s so _grateful_ , she thinks, pulling him onto the bed on top of her. He grinds into her, and she lets out a moan. Belle smiles against his lips, remembering fondly how he’d sat next to in the cab, awkwardly and gently patting her shoulder. They’re inseparable these days, have been even since that night.

And now…they’re definitely taking it a step farther, if his arousal digging into her hip is any indication. It’s new for them, and she kind of loves it.

It’s been awhile since she realized she has feelings for him, four months of pining and angsting. Now that she knows he feels the same? _Heaven_ , she thinks, pulling at his shirt and tossing it onto the floor.

&&&

_4 months ago_

Belle is sitting at her kitchen counter, the cartons of takeout tempting her with the scent of ma po tofu and almond chicken. Will’s late, later than his normal ten minutes or so past when they’re supposed to meet. It’s almost an hour later than they planned, and she doesn’t want the food to get cold.

It’s become their weekly ritual, getting together on Friday for takeout and beer or wine. They generally see each other a couple times during the week, but this is _theirs_. There’ve been so few interruptions in this over the last year and bit–Emma’s and Killian’s wedding festivities, and the time Will got horribly sick.

So his tardiness is…worrying. She’s texted him and gotten no response, and she’s this close to sending out a search party.

Then her door opens and Will bursts in, no knocking or by-your-leave. She opens her mouth to scold him when he throws his arms around her and mutters, “Jesus Christ, it’s been a day.”

“What, happened?” she asks, running a hand down his back. Her heart is beating far too fast and is somewhere around her stomach at the feel of his embrace

He pulls back and runs a hand over his face. God, he looks _horrible_. “Ana. Ana happened.”

Her heart plummets to her feet. “Ana? But I thought she–”

“She left me? Aye, a few years ago, just before I met you and Killian. It’s why I was such an ornery arsebadger when we met.”

“You were, but that’s not the point. What’s happened now?”

“I was at the pub having a pint before coming over, and she just slides onto the barstool next to me like it hasn’t been years since we’ve seen each other and like she didn’t break my heart. I don’t even know how she found me.”

“Oh my god.”

“She wants to get back together. Says she misses me.”

Belle feels something inside her break. Suddenly she realizes what she’s feeling and wants to curse herself for falling for him–from his moodiness to his kindness and compassion–at such an inconvenient time. “Oh. Well, what are you going to do?”

“Well, I just stared at her a good bit. Never been more flabbergasted. Then I started hysterically laughing.”

In spite of herself, she smiles a little. “You poor thing,” she says, brushing her hand over his arm.

He looks down at where she’s touching him and smiles back at her. “I just left, but I think I’m going to tell her to shove off.”

And then she feels something a lot like hope.

&&&

_Present_

They’re tangled together on her bed, sated and wrapped up in each other. He presses a kiss to her forehead, and she turns to beam up at him.

He lightly tugs on her hair. “This changes things, doesn’t it?”

She traces his cheekbone before pulling him in for a fierce kiss. “Yes. It-it’s been you, for months and months now.”

“Oh, thank god. I’ve been crazy about you for ages.”

“Really?! What about Ana?”

“I didn’t think you cared about me, and it was a shock to see her. But it wasn’t until that day I started to hope.”

“Oh.” A pause. “And then I kissed you today,” she says with a grin. She’s glad she did. Their usual Friday hangout had fallen on Valentine’s Day, and she…just hadn’t been able to resist today.

“Aye, and it was a glorious kiss.”

“I’m glad you think so, because I’m going to kiss you again.”

“Good.”


End file.
